This week, Guy and Francesco are joined by Will Huddlestone, who recently completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, focusing on the early global success of Uruguayan football. Will unpacks how Uruguay — despite its small population — rose to international prominence as Olympic and World Cup champions in the 1920s and 1930, and how the national team’s triumphs became powerful political tools both domestically and abroad.

The conversation charts the evolution of Uruguayan football after its iconic 1950 World Cup victory, exploring its transformation under dictatorship and democracy. Will also discusses Uruguay's modern identity as a major exporter of footballing talent, and the ongoing story of the domestic game.

Along the way, the discussion tackles the political and cultural significance surrounding stars like Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, examines the controversies they've courted, and looks at the growing momentum behind the women’s game in Uruguay.

For lovers of Uruguayan football — or anyone fascinated by the intersection of sport, politics, and national identity — this is an episode not to miss!

This week, Francesco switches seats—co-hosting and guesting—as he and Guy dive into a lively discussion about football in and from the Middle East, inspired by a brand-new report from the Sectarianism, Proxies and De-sectarianisation (SEPAD) Project at Lancaster University.

Francesco is joined by fellow co-editor Javier Bordon, along with SEPAD directors Simon Mabon and Edward Wastnidge, for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the Gulf states' rising influence in global football (especially Saudi Arabia and Qatar), identity and politics through the lens of the pitch - from Syria to Islam - and the role of fans, ultras, and diasporas, including Kurds in Sweden, Algerians in France and women in Iran.

Whether you’re into geopolitics, grassroots fandom, or just want to understand how the region is reshaping the global game, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. You can also check out the report on SEPAD's website here.

In this episode, Guy and Francesco welcome back friend of the pod Miguel Lourenço Pereira to talk about his new book Pasión: A Journey to the Soul of Spanish Football (out 21 April from Pitch Publishing).

Together, they dive into the political, cultural, and social undercurrents that have shaped Spanish football—from Franco’s regime using the sport as soft propaganda to the democratic era’s subtler, but still strategic, engagement with the game.

They explore how ownership models shifted in the late 1980s and early 1990s and what that meant for the sport's structure and soul. Miguel also sheds light on the role of national and regional identities in shaping clubs, fan bases, and rivalries, as well as the impact of demographic change—from inland depopulation to coastal booms, and the rise of second-generation stars like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.

It’s a deep, passionate look at how fútbol reflects and refracts the story of modern Spain.